Algeta Sees ’Widespread’ Interest in Thorium Cancer Technology

March 7 (Bloomberg) -- Algeta ASA, the Norwegian company
partnered with Bayer AG for one of its experimental cancer
treatments, has seen “widespread” interest in collaboration on
a second, its thorium-227 technology, Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Kay said.

Thorium-227 is an alpha-particle emitting element that can
be linked to monoclonal antibodies to create localized tumor-killing cancer treatments. Algeta is already working with
Sanofi, Ablynx NV, Affibody AB and Immunomedics Inc. in studying
their monoclonal antibodies linked with Thorium-227, a
technology that shows potential across a broad range of cancer
targets, Kay said in an interview today in London.

Monoclonal antibodies, which are biological drugs that
include Roche Holding AG’s cancer medicines Herceptin and
Rituxan and Abbvie Inc.’s Humira, are among some of the most
profitable drugs on the market today. Drugmakers are seeking to
improve these treatments by making them more targeted with fewer
side effects, something that Oslo-based Algeta’s technology
allows.

“We’ve seen widespread inbound interest from a whole range
of companies, from large pharmas, biosimilar makers and
biotechs,” Kay said. “Should it be successful, there is a
whole future of targeted molecules we could conjugate thorium
to. In theory, this could be a very long future pipeline for
us.”

Clinical Testing

Algeta will be selecting further collaborations on
thorium-227 over the next year, and also advance one or two of
its existing programs into clinical testing next year, Kay said.

Algeta’s most advanced program, radium-223 dichloride for
the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer, was
submitted to regulators in December. Last month, the company
said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted priority
review for the treatment, which means it will come to a decision
within eight months of the filing, rather than the standard 12-month cycle.

Algeta and Bayer AG will split the profits from sales of
the treatment in the U.S., an agreement that covers revenue from
all potential indications. The company is awaiting a decision
from Bayer on its strategy for expanding development of
radium-223, including potential studies in breast cancer and
osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer.